James

I have been dealing with stage III melanoma for the last 10 years. My latest incidence was another positive node 6 months ago..... and so the fight goes on.

I was 50 years old when I was first diagnosed with stage III melanoma. I opted out of treatments that were available at the time (Interferon, etc.l) because I felt they weren't right for me. I did a lot of research on the disease and my biggest take away was how responsive the melanoma cell is to strong immune response. Basically the treatments that are out there are meant to whip the immune system into a frenzy, but with a severe down side. I was sure I could pump my immune system other ways and so I went on a quest to find the healthiest way forward. Let me add that I did this because I was convinced that it was right for me and everybody needs to find their own way. I believe that patients can only rely on their doctors for so much, and need to be proactive in tackling their situation.It's now 10 years later and I'm now 60 and had another positive node removed 6 months ago. The PET/CAT showed no distant metastasis.......and so after several years of living "normally" I'm back to my juicing, supplements, basically vegetarian diet and meditation.... and you know what........I'll stick to it this time.

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I was 40 when diagnosed with Stage IIIA. That was just four months ago. I did some research and saw that a change in diet could greatly affect my chances going forward. I consulted with a nutritionist that wanted me to give up diary, meat, coffee, you name it and rely on a mostly green diet. I recieved a lot of resistance from my husband and my doctor's said it won't really help. They all agree with a healthy diet but do not believe a drastic change is necessary. I have not gone drastic but have made some serious changes. I only drink coffee on the weekends and limit it to one cup. I've drastically cut down my dairy intake while increasing my green food intake. I only eat chicken once a week and it has to be organic. I have a green drink of some sort every day. I eat lots of onion, garlic, kiwis, etc. All the supposed anti cancer foods. I've even found a tumeric drink! Is there anything I can do? I wish you lots of luck

I am a stage 4 patient going on 14mths clinical trial ,pazopanib pill daily and taxol 3x a month. Its a anti angeonesis approach. Foods that assist I learned on Dr. Oz and confirmed with my Dr. are ---top5 strawberries,artichokes.bacChoy ,flounder, and cooked tomatoes. I try and eat them allthe time.Dr also has me taking mega dose of resveritrol and also take green tea. So far no new growths and 17% shrinkage overal.

May I ask what supplements you use? My partner has decided the currently availableuy treatments are not what she wants to do right now, so we are going the supplement route, plus focusing on a anti-inflammatory, immune boosting diet, with meditation and prayer. She's taking Q-10, green tea capsules, flaxseed oil, tumeric and coral calcium, plus two brazil nuts a day because they are said to have enough selenium in them to fight cancer cells.

Hello James, I have stage 3 Melanoma(48 years old),and I have had 2 nodes removed(1 positive) and now they want to remove the rest in the region,and start interferon,I am very hesitant, Do I understand Correctly,You did not go this route, and any info you can share with me would Greatly be appreciated, I want to watch my 1 year old son become a man,

I am newly diagnosed and at this point I am a stage 1b however Friday I am going under the knife for a larger incision of the area as well as the lymph testing which could put me where you are at. Like you the use of Interferon is not something I am willing to consider - 12 months of hell isn't my idea of living only to have it fail. Several have talked to me about alternate therapies and jucing is one of them - are you a complete vegetarian or a lacto ovi or do you eat fish. What fruits and veggies have you found that are the best amping up the immune system - do you take additional supplements?

I am newly diagnosed and at this point I am a stage 1b however Friday I am going under the knife for a larger incision of the area as well as the lymph testing which could put me where you are at. Like you the use of Interferon is not something I am willing to consider - 12 months of hell isn't my idea of living only to have it fail. Several have talked to me about alternate therapies and jucing is one of them - are you a complete vegetarian or a lacto ovi or do you eat fish. What fruits and veggies have you found that are the best amping up the immune system - do you take additional supplements?

Hi Jim.....thank you for your posting her. I'm having some nodes removed over the next few days and have struggled with what treatment program I should try.....I like your approach. I too am troubled by the quick....lets cut, lets poison you in hopes that we can stop it....your post, time out from first diagnosis gives me hope.....

I was just diagnosed (two days ago) with a non-pigmented nodular malignant melanoma that they thought was just a basal cell carcinoma before the biopsy was done. I just noticed it about 3-4 months ago, but I am sure it was there much longer. My dermatologist felt all of my lymph glands and felt nothing out of the ordinary. I have always felt just fine. The blood tests and chest x-rays that were done yesterday all came back normal. In a few days I will be getting the PET scan done. I am wondering if the reason why I haven't noticed anything wrong with me is because I have been a lacto/ovo/pesco vegetarian for 30 years now, and over the past six months have eaten nothing but organics to avoid ingesting pestacides, GMOs and other toxins. I also meditate, manifest, and visualize for positivity and to avoid negative problems. I try not to worry about anything unless I know I need to. Perhaps I have had a high immune system like you for these reasons, and hopefully it will result in the melanoma not having metastasized. We shall see. Can you provide input on what foods, supplements and other things you have undertaken to pump up your immune system and go the healthiest way forward. Thanks.

Jazzy, I have not noticed anything wrong with me from the melanoma (Other than from the treatment) outside of what the GP said was a hemorrhoid, for the first 4 years (2002-2006))of my (undiagnosed until May 2006) now 12 year journey with melanoma. My immune system has always been very strong and seems to still be. i have survived much more than just doubly innumerable tumors at the melanoma stage IV level so far.

I have added Curcumin (per MDA) and more Broccoli (per UVA), CoQ10, Vit-D, Selenium (2 brazil nuts/day), Magnesium (250 mg), Potassium 595 mg), Iron (for the chronic fatigue from my 2/day chemo. I did take higher doses of anti-oxidant supplements before starting the Gleevec (a cytostatic) and learning that it uses oxidants to get delivered into the tumors. I still consume moderate amounts of anti-oxidant fruits and nuts to get the more natural complete group of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.

The targeted chemo sometimes stops being effective in a couple of months. I figure that the more the immune system is kept up, the longer the cytostatic will be effective (over 5 years so far.).